NEW YORK, NY/1/11/06James Frey, author of the bestselling memoir, A MILLION LITTLE PIECES, faces allegations by an investigative website, the Smoking Gun, that he fabricated or inflated information about his criminal record and an accident that killed two teenaged girls. Frey, age 32, was set to appear on CNN’s Larry King Live January 11 to discuss the issues.

Frey’s publisher, Doubleday, has issued a statement defending his memoir as a “highly personal” work in which Frey tells his story in his own way and that his version of events “was true to his recollections.” The intense book is about recovery from drug abuse. Doubleday spokesperson Alison Rich said despite the accusations, “the power of the overall reading experience is

such that the book remains a deeply inspiring and redemptive story for millions of readers.”

Frey’s book about drug addition was published in 2003, became an Oprah Winfrey book club pick, and has since sold 3.5 million copies. The book was on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for 15 weeks. Frey refutes the charges and was quoted in an article by Associated Press as saying “I stand by my book, and my life.”

The article on the Smoking Gun website claims that James Frey fabricated key parts of his books. They cite police records, court documents and interviews with law enforcement officials which contradict a number of Frey’s claims regarding criminal charges against him, jail terms, and his fugitive status.